Control

The AMD Ryzen 5 5500 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 is a combination that pits a mid-range 6-core Zen 3 processor against a flagship Ada Lovelace GPU. Benchmark results for Control show this pairing delivers exceptionally high frame rates across all tested resolutions, with the GPU clearly dominating the workload. The data indicates that even at 4K Ultra settings, the system maintains an average of 69 FPS, making it a strong candidate for high-refresh-rate 1440p gaming and smooth 4K play.

FAQ

Q: What is the best settings preset for 4K gaming with this combo?

A: At 3840x2160, the most demanding preset that stays at or above 60 FPS is Ultra, which delivers an average of 69 FPS. Lower presets also remain playable: High averages 79 FPS, Medium averages 89 FPS, and Low averages 126 FPS.

Q: Can this system achieve 60 FPS at 1440p with maximum settings?

A: Yes. At 2560x1440, the Ultra preset produces an average of 102 FPS, which is well above the 60 FPS playable threshold. The High preset averages 118 FPS, Medium averages 132 FPS, and Low reaches 186 FPS.

Q: How does the RTX 4080 compare to its closest rival, the RTX 4080 SUPER?

A: The RTX 4080 has an average benchmark score of 54247, which is nearly identical to the RTX 4080 SUPER's 54209 score. The deltaPct is a negligible 0.1%, meaning performance in synthetic benchmarks is effectively tied.

Q: What is the CPU's single-threaded performance relative to its peers?

A: The Ryzen 5 5500 scores 2319 in Cinebench R23 single-core and 836 in 3DMark single-thread. Its average benchmark score of 19593 places it in the 73rd percentile among all CPUs, with nearest rivals like the Intel Core i5-12500 (19668, -0.4%) and Intel Core i7-10700F (19499, +0.5%) showing similar overall performance.

Q: Does the game utilize the CPU's multi-threading capabilities?

A: The Ryzen 5 5500 has 6 cores and 12 threads, with a Cinebench R23 multicore score of 16429 and a 3DMark max-threads score of 5411. While the game clearly benefits from the GPU, the CPU's multithreaded throughput is sufficient to avoid bottlenecking, as indicated by the high frame rates at 1080p where CPU load is typically highest.

Q: Is the RTX 4080's memory bandwidth a factor in 4K performance?

A: The RTX 4080 features 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus, providing 716.8 GB/s of bandwidth. This is sufficient for Control at 4K Ultra, where the average FPS remains at 69, suggesting the memory subsystem is not a limiting constraint at this resolution.

Best Settings per Resolution

The measured FPS data provides clear guidance for optimal settings at each resolution, prioritizing the highest visual quality while maintaining at least 60 FPS.

At 3840x2160, the Ultra preset is the most demanding option that stays above the 60 FPS threshold, with an average of 69 FPS. For players who prefer higher frame rates, Medium delivers 89 FPS, High reaches 79 FPS, and Low provides 126 FPS. Notably, the Medium preset has recorded minimum FPS of 76, confirming consistent performance above the target.

For 2560x1440, Ultra remains the best choice, averaging 102 FPS. This leaves substantial headroom over the 60 FPS minimum. The Medium preset averages 132 FPS with a minimum of 113 FPS, while High averages 118 FPS and Low delivers 186 FPS. All presets at this resolution are far above the playable threshold.

At 1920x1080, the Ultra preset averages 135 FPS, which is the recommended setting for maximum quality. High averages 156 FPS, Medium averages 175 FPS with a minimum of 149 FPS, and Low reaches 205 FPS. The data shows that even the most demanding preset at 1080p is more than double the 60 FPS requirement.

CPU and GPU Roles

The performance scaling across resolutions reveals a clear division of labor between the Ryzen 5 5500 and the RTX 4080. At 1920x1080, the CPU has a more significant role, as lower resolution reduces GPU load. The transition from Low to Ultra at 1080p shows a drop from 205 FPS to 135 FPS, a difference of 70 FPS. This indicates the GPU is still the primary driver, but the CPU's 6-core/12-thread design with a boost clock of 4.20 GHz is adequate to feed the GPU at these high frame rates.

Moving to 2560x1440, the GPU begins to dominate more. The Ultra preset averages 102 FPS, which is 33 FPS lower than at 1080p Ultra. The scaling from Low (186 FPS) to Ultra (102 FPS) at 1440p shows an 84 FPS spread, suggesting the GPU's rendering workload is becoming the limiting factor. The CPU's contribution is still relevant, but the RTX 4080's raw throughput is more influential.

At 3840x2160, the GPU is overwhelmingly the determining component. The Ultra preset averages 69 FPS, compared to 135 FPS at 1080p Ultra — a 66 FPS reduction. The spread from Low (126 FPS) to Ultra (69 FPS) at 4K is 57 FPS, indicating that the GPU's compute and memory bandwidth are the primary constraints. The Ryzen 5 5500's performance, including its 16 MB of L3 cache and DDR4-3200 memory support, is sufficient to avoid becoming a bottleneck even at 4K, as evidenced by the playable frame rates.

Similar Performance Alternatives

For the CPU, the Ryzen 5 5500's nearest rivals in average benchmark score offer similar CPU-bound performance. The AMD Ryzen AI 5 430 scores 19617, which is only 0.1% lower, making it a direct equivalent. The Intel Core i5-12500 scores 19668, 0.4% higher, and the Intel Core i7-10700F scores 19499, 0.5% lower. The Intel Core i5-11600KF scores 19723, 0.7% higher. In gaming scenarios like Control, these CPUs would deliver nearly identical frame rates, as the game is not heavily CPU-dependent at higher resolutions.

On the GPU side, the RTX 4080's nearest rival is the RTX 4080 SUPER, which scores 54209 — a 0.1% difference in average benchmark score. This means the SUPER would perform essentially identically in Control. The AMD Radeon Pro W5700X scores 54828 (1.1% higher), while the AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB scores 55698 (2.6% higher) and the AMD Radeon 8060S scores 55757 (2.7% higher). These alternatives would provide similar or slightly better GPU-bound performance, though the RTX 4080's 16 GB VRAM and 716.8 GB/s bandwidth are key factors for 4K texture loads.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Ryzen 5 5500 and RTX 4080 ranks 346th out of 3720 tested combos for Control, placing it in the top 9.3% of all configurations. This high ranking is primarily driven by the RTX 4080's exceptional performance, as the CPU is in the 73rd percentile of all processors. The ranking reflects the system's ability to maintain high frame rates across all resolutions, with the 4K Ultra average of 69 FPS being a particularly strong result. While the CPU is not top-tier, the data shows it does not substantially hinder the GPU, as the combo still achieves 135 FPS at 1080p Ultra.

The Verdict

This PC can run Control exceptionally well at all tested resolutions and presets. The verdict by resolution confirms that every preset at every resolution clears the 60 FPS threshold.

At 3840x2160, the best settings are Ultra with an average of 69 FPS. This is a playable result for 4K, though players seeking higher frame rates can drop to Medium (89 FPS) or High (79 FPS). The Low preset offers 126 FPS for maximum smoothness.

At 2560x1440, Ultra is fully viable with an average of 102 FPS. This is the sweet spot for this combo, providing high visual fidelity with frame rates well above the 60 FPS target. The Medium preset's minimum of 113 FPS ensures consistent performance.

At 1920x1080, Ultra averages 135 FPS, making this combination ideal for high-refresh-rate monitors. The system demonstrates that the Ryzen 5 5500 does not bottleneck the RTX 4080 even at lower resolutions where CPU load is highest. Overall, the data supports this combo as a capable 4K gaming solution with headroom for competitive frame rates at 1440p and 1080p.